Posted by Carina Hayek on Fri, Jan 27, 2012
Quickcomm will be attending CFO’s Corporate Performance Management Conference next week in New York City. The purpose of the conference is to help finance teams explore the technology, tools, and tactics available to help them drive and manage sustainable, profitable growth.
To help businesses better understand how to manage expenses and operate with maximum efficiency and effectiveness, Lori Thomas and Michael Bodetti of Quickcomm will be hosting roundtable discussions on Telecom Expense Management (TEM), enterprise mobile connectivity, and establishing KPIs to ensure maximum ROI.
Click here to see the agenda for the entirety of the event and be sure to follow @cfopub and @Quickcomm on Twitter for conference updates!
Posted by Carina Hayek on Tue, Jan 24, 2012
As the demand for new devices continues to increase, wireless applications are also on the rise creating challenges for wireless service telecom management. While tracking these devices through inventory checks helps a great deal, it is important to remember device peripherals when doing so. Many organizations don’t realize that peripherals such as car chargers and Bluetooth headsets can have a substantial financial impact on their budget. By tracking all of these tools within a wireless inventory, you will be equipped with a full accounting of your assets and the costs associated with them.
Posted by Christina Mamzellis on Mon, Jan 23, 2012
With 2011 behind us, we look forward into 2012 and what it will bring to the TEM market. Currently, there are 5.9 billion mobile phone subscriptions around the world; that’s 87% of the world’s population! As significant as that statistic is, we expect for the number of mobile subscriptions to increase in the coming years. Mobile access through tablets is projected to be a major factor in the telecoms environment with tablet shipments expected to climb to 99.3 million this year alone. This explosion of mobile devices is sure to result in a significant increase in the use of applications (both personal and enterprise), cloud computing, and software-as-a-service (SaaS).
According to Quickcomm’s Kurt Brown, Vice President of Innovation, who was recently cited in BusinessNewsDaily’s 30 Big Ideas, Trends and Predictions for 2012, “The expense management of mobile applications, cloud computing, and SaaS subscriptions (salesforce, LinkedIn, etc.) are three areas that we feel will significantly challenge many organizations in 2012.” In order to avoid these challenges, now is the time to observe your current telecom expense management strategies to ensure they will be effective enough to keep costs under control.
As cloud computing and SaaS subscriptions continue to expand, organizations will need to understand the options offered by vendors. Additionally, hidden costs such as hardware, training, customization, maintenance, and upgrades must be taken into account. These types of hidden costs should be analyzed and budgeted prior to procurement.
At Quickcomm, we are gearing up for a big year in wireless. Follow along with us on Twitter as we discuss these predictions, the world of TEM, industry news and tips on how to control telecom spend within your organization.
Posted by Carina Hayek on Tue, Jan 17, 2012
Organizations are looking for new ways to cut costs and become more environmentally conscious, especially as energy costs continue to rise. By utilizing technology such as IP Telephony/VOIP and web-based services, employees can work remotely, saving on travel-related costs. With these technologies, employees can still be productive and work efficiently from remote locations. With voice as a web services, the costs of cable and infrastructure can be reduced, as can the use of equipment. These types of technologies consume resources more efficiently and can help an organization to become environmentally friendly.
Posted by Carina Hayek on Mon, Jan 16, 2012
Enterprises across all industry verticals are adopting mobility at a rapid pace. As more and more mobile devices and applications emerge, enterprises are faced with challenges such as cost, mobile security, and application usage. Recently, xcube labs created an infographic highlighting trends and behaviors in the implementation of mobile devices and apps in the enterprise. The graphic itself contains a lot of information, but enterprises should exercise caution when using the data as a basis for developing their mobile device strategies.
According to xcube, 63% of enterprises are adopting mobility for cost savings. And from the chart above, 30% of respondents already believe that an area of immediate benefit is operational efficiency and cost-reduction. However, we need to ask how enterprises are measuring this? Is it supported by data, anecdotal responses by employees, or an assumption of how mobility should be benefiting the enterprise? These measures are qualitative, and perceived benefits are often exaggerated. If an organization is unsure of the pros and cons of mobility and cannot successfully measure the cost savings and productivity value, unilaterally deploying mobile devices may not be the best decision.
What we can take away from this graphic is an idea of the value that enterprises want and expect mobility to provide to their organizations. The next step is to identify KPIs and policies to help enterprises gain the most value from their mobility solutions.
Mobile applications pose additional challenges to the enterprise. Xcube’s infographic states that enterprise mobility solutions will generate nearly $40bn in annual sales for developers by 2016. It’s clear that apps are a hot commodity. Even Flurry’s data supports the increase in app consumption and usage noting that app usage surpassed web usage (on mobile phones) in June 2011 and that the gap is increasing. But an extremely important point is what people are doing: social networking and games capture the lion’s share of application consumption at a combined 79%. Entertainment and news comprised 13%, while “other” – which may or may not be business related uses – accounted for only 8%.
What does this mean for enterprises? Mobile device adoption in the work place is inevitable, as is the adoption and use of apps. However, enterprises need to more clearly understand not only what they want to gain as a result, but also their employees’ behaviors. The challenge is balancing the way enterprises want mobile devices and apps to be used – and the impact on the business – with how employees are using them. As we’ve noted before, the rapid growth of the enterprise mobility market makes it extremely important for enterprises to develop a comprehensive solution to manage and control the complex processes associated with a mobile strategy.
Posted by Christina Mamzellis on Wed, Jan 11, 2012
Recent mobile trends for the past year have shown increased usage of mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and wireless hotspots - whether at home or in the workplace. According to IDC, the average affluent consumer in the United States now owns 6.6 devices. With this explosion of mobile devices comes an increase in mobile browsing as well. A CNet article published states that mobile browsing reached an all-time high in December. Almost 8 percent of browser usage was done via mobile device – a number that has doubled over the past year. Although mobile browsing can be great for your enterprise (after all, it enables employees to be connected more frequently from anywhere), it can also have a negative impact – on your budget. The increase in mobile browsing may result in an increase in data spend, which will affect those organizations that pick up the tab for employee devices. In order to prevent this from happening, organizations should be sure to have a corporate policy regarding data usage limitations. By doing so, employees will still be able to remain mobile without putting a strain on their company’s budget.
Find out how Quickcomm can help your company implement a mobile policy to maintain control over your telecommunications environment.
Posted by Carina Hayek on Tue, Jan 10, 2012
Each month as a new telecom invoice arrives, be sure to review and analyze all of the charges included. Some telecom service providers charge subscribers an extra fee simply for sending invoices. While the extra fees may not be a large amount, they add up over time. Prior to signing a new contract, negotiate waivers for these unnecessary charges.
Posted by Carina Hayek on Tue, Jan 03, 2012
Follow a five step process in order to ensure the proper installation of wireless services. First, identify the equipment being used and the service plan and features in order to have a full understanding of what will be ordered. Second, add the new service plan to the appropriate account. Third, activate the equipment and featured associated with the telecom service provider and note the activation date. Make sure to validate any prorated charges on the first invoice after activation. Fourth, test the features to be sure all services are functioning correctly. Finally, review the first invoice and confirm the rates are correct in regards to the installation.
Posted by Carina Hayek on Tue, Dec 27, 2011
Each year employees receive performance reviews, opening up discussions about areas of improvement and successes over the past year. This year, add your service vendors to this process. Take note of any problems you had, objectives for the future, and areas that could be improved upon. Just as you rely on your employees to deliver their best work, your service providers should be doing the same. By holding an open and honest conversation, you can build upon the existing relationship and set expectations.
Posted by Carina Hayek on Tue, Dec 20, 2011
Did you know that many companies are currently paying for phone lines that aren’t being used or that belong to someone else? A simple line check will solve this problem. Verify the status of your phone lines by dialing each number and seeing who picks up, if the line works, or if it is being used as a back-up line or modem. This simple act of inventory management could potentially cut costs by ensuring that all lines are being used correctly.